My Top 15 Favorite Movie Villains of All Time

#1 - Hans Landa (Inglourious Basterds, 2009)

SS Colonel Hans Landa, aka "The Jew Hunter," played by Christoph Waltz, is the main antagonist in Quentin Tarantino's 2009 film Inglourious Basterds. Crafty and chillingly charismatic, Hans Landa is widely regarded as one of cinema's greatest villains. Waltz even won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his outstanding performance.

#2 - Dr. Hannibal Lecter (The Silence of the Lambs, 1991)

His eyes are haunting. I applaud Anthony Hopkins' ability to stare directly into the camera with that menacing glare of his without wavering.

#3 - Claude Frollo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame, 1996)

One of the most twisted villains to ever appear in a Disney movie. I didn't realize why he made me so uneasy as a kid. Now that I'm an adult, it is uncomfortably clear.

#4 - The Joker (The Dark Knight, 2008)

This is the best version of The Joker, in my opinion. Heath Ledger was born to play this character and from what I've heard, he had a blast.

#5 - Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty, 1959)

While I do love Angelina Jolie's live action interpretation of Maleficent, I prefer the 1959 animated version voiced by Eleanor Audley. Her design is graceful yet sinister, she has the best evil laugh of all the Disney villains in my opinion, and above all, she is a true villain through and through.

Unlike the live action character from 2014, the Maleficent from 1959 is not depicted as a lost, misunderstood soul who was wronged or hurt in the past. She is a powerful, supernatural being who is obsessed with gaining power, guarding her own pride and toying with her victims. The worst crime committed against her is not being invited to a royal christening, so she curses a baby princess to keep the kingdom in line. She does not crave connection or understanding, she craves control, demands obedience from her minions and loves to be feared.

She is quite the adversary and a fascinating antagonist. In the 1959 film, she truly is a Mistress of Evil.

#6 - Voldemort (Harry Potter, 2005 to 2011)

First appearing in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Voldemort's ghostly pale, snakelike human form shocked audiences, quickly setting the far more serious, high-stakes tone for the rest of the Harry Potter franchise.

No more PG-rated films with storybook endings where no one gets hurt. With the return of the Dark Lord, the remainder of the films would have to be PG-13 to not only follow the main characters' transition from childhood to teenagehood, but also account for the darker themes and explicit character deaths they would feature.

#7 - Nurse Ratched (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, 1975)

Her calm, calculated demeanor as the authoritative head of a psych ward in 1960s America make Nurse Ratched an iconic yet terrifying addition to this list. I would never want to be kept under her care.

#8 - Scar (The Lion King, 1994)

Voiced by the talented Jeremy Irons, Scar is almost as iconic as Mufasa himself.

#9 - The Wicked Witch of the West (The Wizard of Oz, 1939)

Maleficent has the best Disney villain laugh, and in my opinion, the Wicked Witch of the West has the best live-action villain laugh. Portrayed by actress Margaret Hamilton, this witch gave me nightmares as a child.

#10 - The T-1000 (Terminator 2: Judgement Day, 1991)

While Arnold did a great job as the mechanized villain in The Terminator, the upgraded T-1000 from Terminator 2: Judgement Day I find craftier and far more menacing. Unless there's a lava pit conveniently close by, I'm not sure I'd make it out of this cat and mouse game alive.

#11 - Yzma (The Emperor’s New Groove, 2000)

Yzma is one of the funniest and most underrated villains out there. Her hilarious dynamic with Kronk, ridiculous tantrums when things don't go her way, fabulous fashion sense and unintentional comedic flare have made her a fan-favorite.

#12 - Annie Wilkes (Misery, 1990)

I never thought I could be scared of Kathy Bates. I was wrong.

#13 - Davy Jones (Pirates of the Caribbean, 2006 to 2007)

Sadly, we just don't see CGI like this anymore. The amount of care and craft that went into the creation of this character is amazing.

#14 - Darth Vader (Star Wars)

Don't get me wrong, I agree Darth Vader is iconic, I just think he is also somewhat overrated, that's my reasoning for his lower ranking on my list. But I remember seeing him for the very first time when I watched A New Hope with my parents. His presence was chilling and he had my complete, undivided attention every time he strode across the screen.

#15 - Gaston (Beauty and the Beast, 1991)

I won't give Gaston the satisfaction of ranking higher on this list.